Good Shoulder Routines?

[Thunderman]

I am trying to get the shoulders to blow up. What is a very good shoulder routing? And what the hell, a good tricep one as well?

Mike

[jtroster]

The Shoulder Training Bible

[britonarius]

For triceps i favour the old school and skullcrusher on the barbell. For shoulders i really [ not joking ] like to do raises and bent raises using the cables.

[asmolenski]

Its hard to give advice about routines when we dont know anything about you. Your profile doesnt list any stats, pics or experience etc. A routine for a beginner is gonna be much different than Arnold's pre Olympia routine etc.

As a beginner just concentrate on basic exercises something like:

Overhead Press: 3 sets x 8-20
Lateral Raises : 3 sets x 8-20
Posterior Raises : 3 sets x 8-20

If you want to hit specifc areas then of course your program is gonna change. I am trying to improve my lateral and posterior delts right now so here is my current routine but again I am always changing things around as I need to:

1. Bent Over Cable Lateral Raises (2 sets, 8-20 reps):
2. Incline Bench Lateral Raises with DBs Facedown (2 sets, 8-20 reps): with DB Rows to burn the post delts on last set
3. Rear Delts on the Flyes Machine: One set stripping the stack to failure.
4. Seated Arnold DB Presses (3 sets, 8-20 reps): (last set running the rack)
5. Seated DB Lateral Raises (Super Strict Form Elbows Nearly Straight Keeping the Pinky Fingers pointed Slightly Up) (3 sets, 8-20reps): "isolaterals" after each lateral raise set by holding the DBs out at a 30 degree angle burning the lateral delts
6. Shoulder Press Machine (3 sets, 8-20 reps):

[hulkinout]

The Shoulder Training Bible

Great article. However, I think Chris is one of those guys who outlaws wide grip upright rows, my favorite shoulder mass builder. ;-)

[fbomb02]

I do the follwoing and have seen good results....I usually work shoulders and back together on the same day, and legs and tri's.....

shoulders
DB Raises
set 1 50% 1rm for 12 reps
set 2 60% 1rm for 10 reps
set 3 70% 1 rm for 8 reps (these are all warmups)
set 4-7 80% 1 rm for 8-10 reps

Lateral Raises
3 sets of 10 reps (I usually go from the front of the thighs(brings in the traps) and keep pinkies higher than thumbs)

Bent over Laterals
3 sets of 10 reps

and a very good exercise that hits the rear delts, and lats
straight bar pulldowns
(stand at a puuley machine and keep the setting as high as it can go. To start the exercise, bring the bar to shoulder level with your arms straight. To begin, slowly bring the wait to your waist in an arc, keeping the arms almost straight. At the waist really stress your rear delts and lats for a minute. Repeat. Note, do not let the bar swing back to the starting position. Keep it slow and under control at all times)
3 sets of 10 reps

Every other workout I do 3 sets of wide grip upright rows as well (great for building width in your shoulders as HULKINOUT has stated)

For tris....
Close Grip Bench
1 set 50% 1rm for 10-12 reps
2 set 60% 1rm for 10 reps
3 set 70% 1 rm for 8 reps
set 4-7 80%1rm for 10 reps

Seated Overhead extensions with a curl bar
3 sets of 10 reps

1 arm pull downs w/rev grip
3 sets of 10

I also switch seated extensions with skull crushers every other workout.

Hope this helps.

[Whiskeyjack]

Great article. However, I think Chris is one of those guys who outlaws wide grip upright rows, my favorite shoulder mass builder. ;-)

I like WGURs myself. I remember Bodyhard had a routine for "coconut" delts, to wit: presses, front dumbell raise, side lateral raise, and bent lateral raise, either done one after the other (presumably with suitable breaks) or several sets each. Same idea as Dr. Smo's routine in that the idea's to hit all three deltoid "heads."

The other day I did:
Wide grip front (thumbless) shoulder presses 3x8
Alternating dumbell front raises 2x8
Seated dumbell bent raises 3x8
Wide grip upright row 3x8

The delts were burning in strange ways. That was Sunday. Today it's Tuesday afternoon and only now is the DOMS retreating...

[hulkinout]

The delts were burning in strange ways. That was Sunday. Today it's Tuesday afternoon and only now is the DOMS retreating...

Now THAT's what I like to hear. Sounds like somebody's delts are growing...

[gbg]

Arnold press or seated db press- pyramid 4 sets-x10x8x6x4 all exercises.
bent over db lateral raise " "
reverse fly on incline bench w/db
pull up on cable m.
standing lateral raise-switch up with side lateral raise on incline bench/positioned on side while doing lateral lifts w/db
shrugs.
Switch up seated press w/ smith machine military press.

[Stenn]

I haven't paid a lot of attention to my shoulders, but they seem bigger than they used to be anyway. All I've done for them are barbell presses, dips, and bench press.

[OZBB]

I've had some good success with the following shoulder routine:

1) Warm up shoulders first with VERY light variations of below - 1 set of each:

2) Seated Arnold or Miltary DB Presses - 3 x 10 - as heavy as you can manage while maintaining good form.

3) Side Delt DB Raises - Drop sets.... Standing up - do 8 reps @ your max weight followed immediately by Seated 6-8 reps of a lighter weight - you'll feel the burn toward the end. - do 4 sets of these. - form is important to ensure you hit the delt - try to go out as wide possible.

4) DB Front Delt Raises - Super Set with - Crossover Cable Rear Delt Pull (incline @ 45degree bench) - 4 x 10/12 reps

5) upright BB row - 4 x 10/12 reps

dont go too heavy with all these as the shoulder joint can be easily damaged. Intensity is the key, lower weight with more reps. Super and Drop setting will get those delts working from every angle.

After I do all this my shoulders are super-pumped - I can hardly get through the door on the way out of the gym...... I love shoulder day !!! LOL

OZBB

P.S - I dont tend to do any direct Trap work as on me they are already a reasonable size and I dont want to develop that "slopey shoulder" look. I'd prefer wider delts rather than mountainous traps..... anyway they seem to get a lot of indirect work from my other workouts.